Thyroid disorder decisions — 2000

The Board denied service connection for a thyroid disability and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to failure of the VA to properly diagnose the condition, but granted an increased rating for post-traumatic cephalalgia.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for her hypothyroidism and service connection for calcium depletion, obesity, anxiety, and depression as secondary to her service-connected hypothyroidism. The RO must review the case in light of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is needed to determine the appropriate service connection for thyroid cancer and to assign compensable ratings for right and left knee strains.

The Board has granted service connection for chondromalacia patella of the right and left knees. For hypothyroidism and a skin disability, the Board found that there is no evidence to support service connection based on undiagnosed illness.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, resulting in a final determination. The issues remain unresolved.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for atherosclerotic/atherosclerotic heart disease due to lithium therapy prescribed for his bipolar disorder and for a total rating by reason of individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The appeals were based on direct service connection, not involving any presumption or secondary service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for major depressive disorder, hypothyroidism, and both Achilles tendinitis have been granted. However, her claims for increased ratings for right and left patellofemoral pain syndrome remain denied.

The veteran's nonservice-connected disability pension was reduced due to a discrepancy in reported income from Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits. The Board found that recovery of the overpayment would defeat the purpose for which the pension was intended and granted a waiver.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's thyroid disorder, including Graves' disease, had its onset during service and is therefore granted service connection.

The VA denied the appellant's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected Hashimoto's hypothyroidism, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and cyclothymia.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for hearing loss, loss of visual acuity, and hypothyroidism (to include as due to an undiagnosed illness) are not well grounded. The other conditions were also not well grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for thyroid cancer is well grounded, but her claims of fibromyalgia and polyneuropathy/bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to exposure to non-ionizing radiation are not well grounded. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypothyroidism, chronic joint pain, hypertension and loss of reflexes on a secondary basis due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's claims for service connection for thyroid dysfunction and dermatitis are not well grounded. The claim of shortness of breath as due to an undiagnosed illness was denied.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for a thyroid disability was not well-grounded due to lack of medical evidence linking the current condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inability to verify the veteran's claimed exposure to ionizing radiation. The case will be referred for further development and consideration.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome and paroxysmal atrial tachycardia as secondary to her service-connected hypothyroidism.

The Board determined that the veteran's service-connected postoperative hypoparathyroidism did not permanently disable him, as he was capable of obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for hypothyroidism, currently rated at 10 percent, is denied as the evidence does not support a higher evaluation.

The veteran's claim for service connection for herbicide exposure residuals, including hypothyroidism, is being remanded to the RO for further review of additional evidence submitted by him.